Poke Cake

Build the Meal Around Poke Cake

• Fresh strawberries
• Whipped cream
• Iced tea

How to Cook Poke Cake

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1. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C / 320°F fan) and grease and line a 23 x 33 cm baking tin.

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2. Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and stir into the butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until smooth.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

3. Spread the batter in the tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake in the tin to cool for 15 minutes.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

4. Meanwhile, stir the jelly crystals into the boiling water for 2 minutes, until completely dissolved, then stir in the cold water.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

5. Poke holes all over the warm cake, about 2.5 cm apart, using the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour the jelly slowly over the cake, letting it sink into the holes.

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6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until the jelly is set.

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7. Whip the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks and spread it over the cake. Top with the strawberries and cut into squares.

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Worth Knowing Before You Cook

Poke the holes while the cake is still warm and pour the jelly over slowly, in a few stages. Warm cake soaks up the liquid, and a cold cake sheds it.

Make the holes deep, right to the base of the cake, so the jelly runs through the sponge and you get stripes when it is cut.

Whip the cream only after the jelly has set, and keep the finished cake in the fridge until it is served. The topping melts and the jelly softens in a warm room.

Ingredient Swaps

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.

Keeping What's Left

Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze, as the jelly weeps when it thaws.

Common Questions

What's in a Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.